UAMS Alternative Teaching Technique For Microsurgery

Neurosurgeons at the College of Medicine at University of Arkansas have developed a "module" for teaching microsurgical techniques to students by pumping artificial blood (coloured Liquid) through the vessels of an anatomical specimen (Cadaver Head). In this way trainee neurosurgeons can practise all kinds of surgical procedures under life-like conditions that simulate real surgery in terms of bleeding, pulsation, and liquid filling of the vascular system. This method can also be used with the whole cadaver or separated part (arm or leg) or an organ (heart or liver). This module allows all kinds of surgical training in all surgical fields including endovascular and endoscopic training. Trainees can make skin incisions and suture the incision site, dissect soft oozing tissues, ligate and coagulate bleeding vessels, and practise vascular anastomosis or intestinal anastomosis, transplantations, and angiograms. When applied to the whole cadaver, in addition to surgical training, the module can be used to instruct residents, nurses and students studying medicine how to perform vein puncture, central venous catheters, arterial lines and other procedures especially related to the vascular system. The major vessels are cannulated, a major artery and vein of the specimen are connected to an artificial blood reservoirs, the arterial blood reservoir is further connected to a machine that can provide a pulsating pressure. The artificial blood will fill the vessels under the desired pressure applied to the reservoirs. A cadaver specimen that can bleed and arteries that can pulsate is now available. When using a whole cadaver, the same vessels that are used to inject embalming materials can be used for the cannulation process.

Comments & References: This model may be used instead of anaesthetized live laboratory animals.   For more information, please see www.uams.edu. May also be used by veterinary students.

Price of pump: US$1.00